Who is India's star steeplechaser Avinash Sable? Know details
Avinash Sable did put on a splendid performance to clock his season best at the Silesia Diamond League. The 28-year-old finished sixth with a timing of 8:11:63 in the men's 3,000m steeplechase. Therefore, qualifying for the Paris Olympics next year. After Murali Sreeshankar, Sable becomes the second Indian athlete to confirm his berth for next year's Summer Games. Here's more.
Sixth-place finish and Paris Olympics qualification
Sable clocked his season's best performance of 8:11:63 in the men's 3,000m steeplechase and finished sixth. His performance was good enough to breach the Paris Olympics qualification requirement of 8:15:00. Morocco's Soufiane El Bakkali, who is the Olympic champion and the World Champion, finished first. Kenya's Abraham Kibiwot finished second. Notably, this was Sable's best timing at the Diamond League competitions.
Who is Avinash Sable?
The steeplechaser was born on September 12, 1994, in Mandwa, Maharashtra into a family of farmers. As there was no transport facility, Sable would run over six kilometers to reach school. He joined the 5 Mahar regiment after completing his school. He was a cross-country runner in 2015 before he switched to steeplechase. Sable started training for the steeplechase under Amrish Kumar.
Misses 2018 Asian Games; breaks 37-year-old national record
Sable suffered an ankle injury and therefore had to sit out the 2018 Asian Games. However, he return to the track stronger and faster as he broke the 37-year-old National record in the men's 3,000m steeplechase held by Gopal Saini (8:30:88). The 28-year-old clocked a timing of 8:26:80 at the National Open Championships in Bhubaneswar. It was surely his arrival at the national level.
First Indian male steeplechaser to qualify for Worlds since 1991
He set a new record in the 2019 Federation Cup. Sable clocked 8:28:94 and qualified for the 2019 Asian Athletics Championships and World Athletics Championships. Notably, he became the first Indian male steeplechaser to qualify for World Championships since Deena Ram in 1991.
Silver at the 2019 Asian Athletics Championships
The steeplechaser created history as he won the silver medal in his first international event with a timing of 8:30:19. Apart from the continental event, Sable also impressed at the 2019 World Championships as he broke his national record with a timing 8:25:23 in the heats despite accidentally tripping twice. He finished seventh and was out of contention for the finals.
AFI's successful appeal and Sable's Olympics qualification
While most people thought that it was curtains for Sable at the 2019 World Championships, the Athletics Federation of India successfully appealed to get him into the finals. He then bettered his record again with 8:21:37 and became qualified for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
A bittersweet experience at 2020 Tokyo Olympics
Sable delivered on the big stage as he broke his national record at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with a timing of 8:18:12. Unfortunately, it only propelled him to the seventh position in the heats. He was the fastest non-qualifier across all the heats. However, he finished seventh in his heat and was 13th fastest overall among 41 runners that participated in the event.
National record in Rabat; silver medal at Commonwealth Games
The steeplechaser kept improving and his timing of 8:12:48 was his new national record. It was also his best timing in a Diamond League competition. In 2022, he wrote history at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham by winning the silver medal with a record timing of 8:11:20. Sable became the first non-Keyan athlete to win a CWG medal in this discipline since 1994.
Second top-five finish in Stockholm Diamond League
Sable registered his second top-five finish in the Diamond League in Stockholm. He clocked 8:21:88 at the Olympic Stadium under a massive downpour. He previously finished 10th in the Rabat leg of the Diamond League, which is his worst finish to date. His fifth finish helped him earn four qualification points as he aims to perform at the Diamond League final in Eugene.
